Modular office furniture systems are frequently used in individual interior offices or in large open areas sharing work spaces. With modern electronic equipment, including computers, monitors, fax machines, printers, peripherals, etc., served by separate electrical, telephone, and data lines, it is necessary to handle a large number of wires or cables in a manner that provides electricity, data, telephone communications, etc. to individual work stations, yet does not have wires or cables lying on the floor or elsewhere where they pose tripping hazards, as well as being unsightly. Cable management is crucial for providing a safe, efficient, and attractive work area.
In many commercial office environments, it also is desirable to maintain flexibility in positioning workers and in reconfiguring work stations. Commonly used types of modular furniture offer the ability to be dis-assembled, moved, reconfigured, and re-assembled, but re-routing all the wires and cables still poses a major problem, particularly because different workers or work stations have different requirements for electronic equipment and the accompanying power, data, and telephone lines. Although this flexibility can be provided using standard powered furniture outlets, wall outlets, extension cords or power strips, possibly with surge suppressors, and receptacles for multiple plugs, etc., the use of extension cords only proliferates the number of wires that must be managed and can lead to fire hazards. Further, in large shared work spaces, such as when “cubicles” are used, it can be difficult to supply enough outlets in locations where the plugs and wires won't be in the way.
In a typical office wiring installation, the main building power line enters into a power room and utility cabinet. Within the utility cabinet, individual wires are connected to the main power line through a series of protective circuit breakers, being hand configured as individual branch circuits having phased, neutral, and ground wires. The branch circuit wires are then threaded through a rigid conduit that is hung from the ceiling and walls, with individual connections made manually at each end of each wire. Care must be taken to track which wires are used to carry phased, neutral, and ground circuits. This process is time-consuming, complex, and labor intensive, and it requires the services of a qualified electrician. Therefore, it is generally quite expensive to install and re-route wiring.
Thus, there is a need for an improved system for managing power, data, and telephone lines for work stations and work areas, which provides the same level of convenience and flexibility as currently used modular furniture provides for configuring and re-configuring work stations and work areas.